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Republicans predict victory
 Vowing victory in this fall's elections, Republicans emerged Friday from a two-day national strategy session rejecting new independent warnings that they face a possible "electoral rout" and loss of control of Congress. "It will be a tough election, but we will keep control of the House and Senate," Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman said Friday. He made the prediction after unveiling a strategy that he hoped would frame the fall election as a choice between Republicans and Democrats, rather than a referendum on President Bush and Republican control of the government. Party leaders hope that fear of Democrats will trump anger or disappointment with Republicans. As the Republicans huddled, their public optimism was offset by two new detailed looks at the House and Senate races and the national mood by Larry Sabato, a noted political analyst, and the Cook Political Report. Both concluded that Republicans are in big trouble. Independent political analyst Charles Cook warned this week that Republicans face the threat of "an electoral rout." "First, the political climate will be extremely hostile to Republican candidates. Second, while Republicans benefited from turnout in 2002 and 2004, this time voter turnout will benefit Democratic candidates. And third, the advantages that the GOP usually has in national party spending will be significantly less than normal." Vilsack encouraged by Democrat prospects in November Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack stood at the end of a wharf Friday and said he thinks the Democrats' ship is going to come in during the November elections. Vilsack, who is considering a 2008 bid for president, was in Charleston for this weekend's National Governors Association meeting. "I guarantee you Democratic governors will have a majority of the governerships of the country by the time the fall elections are said and done," Vilsack said. The former chairman of the Democratic Governors Association is doing what he can to get one of his own into the governor's office in South Carolina, campaigning with fellow Democrat and state Sen. Tommy Moore who is running against Republican Gov. Mark Sanford in the November election. Posted by: Fred 2006-08-05 |
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